Appliance for cutting fruits

ABSTRACT

An appliance is provided for cutting tomatoes or other fruits into slices by reciprocating movement with the simultaneous application of pressure. The appliance comprises parallel saw blades fixed in a frame which is V-shaped in end view. The blades each have their cutting edges extending substantially vertically, the cutting edges of adjacent saw blades lying at different heights.

United States Patent 1191 11 3,765,287 Borner Oct. 16, 1973 [54]APPLIANCE FOR CUTTING FRUITS 2,487,431 11/1949 Floyd 83/85'/ x [76]Inventor: Alfred Borner, Pickliessemer Str. 3,

Dudeldorf Elfel Germany vPrimary Examiner-Willie G. Abercrombie [22]Filed: Oct. 19, 1971 Att0rney-Dona1d D. Jeffery [21] Appl. No.: 190,626

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [5 7] ABSTRACT Oct. 22, 1970Germany P 20 51 780.0 An appliance is provided for cutting tomatoes orother [52] US. Cl 83/407, 83/404.4, 83/437, fruits into slices byreciprocating movement with the 83/425.2 simultaneous application ofpressure. The appliance [51] Int. Cl. B26d 3/26 comprises parallel sawblades fixed in a frame which is [58] Field of Search 83/4, 407, 467,431, V-shaped in end view. The blades each have their cut- 83/858, 569,404.4, 437, 425.2, 425.3 ting edges extending substantially vertically,the cutting edges of adjacent saw blades lying at different ['56]References Cited heights.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,835 1/ 1883 De Puy et al. 83/569 X 9 Claims, 6Drawing Figures PAIFNIFUIIBI 16 Ian I 3.765287 SHEET 10F 2 APPLIANCE FORCUTTING FRUITS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to anappliance for cutting tomatoes or similar fruits, comprising parallelsaw blades fixed in a frame, on to which blades the fruits are pressedwhile being simultaneously moved backwards and forwards and are therebycut into slices.

With known cutting applicances of this type, the saw blades whichconsist of metal, lie in a plane in parallel juxtaposition and areanchored in a synthetic plastics frame. However, the fitting of themetal blades in the synthetic plastics frame is complicated and requiresparticular care and accuracy so as to ensure that the saw blades alwayshave the necessary tension. Moreover, the fruits can move laterallyduring the cutting operation, so that'in certain circumstances the cutis inaccurate.

It is an object of the invention to avoid these disadvantages and toprovide a cutting appliance for tomatoes or the like, which can beproduced entirely from one material, preferably from synthetic plastics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there isprovided a cutting appliance for fruits, comprising a frame which isV-shaped in end view, and an array of saw blades arranged in the frameand having cutting faces extending substantially vertically, cuttingedges of adjacent saw blades lying at different heights, the array ofsaw blades being adapted to receive the fruits which are to be cut andto permit reciprocation of the fruits thereon with the simultaneousapplication of pressure thereto.

By this means, it is possible for both the frame and the saw bladesarranged in the latter to be produced in one piece from for examplesynthetic plastics material. The blades, on account of their particulararrangement, can be widened out downwardly, without the cutting gapremaining between the blades being constricted for the passage of thesevered slices. Thus, it is possible for the slices already cut off tomove towards the sides because of the V-shaped construction of theframe. However, since the fruits to be cut lie in the V-shaped frameduring the reciprocating movement, the fruits themselves cannot movelaterally before they are not cut. In this way, there is obtained acutting appliance which can be manufactured in one piece having sawblades made of synthetic plastic material of sufficient strength, whichdo not require to be tensioned or re-tensioned, with which tomatoes orsimilar fruits, with which a saw cut is necessary, can be cut intoslices more quickly and more cleanly than hitherto.

The cutting appliance according to the invention is preferably equippedwith a holder for the fruit, which holder can be partially moved betweenthe saw blades. This ensures that the fruits can be cut to the lastpiece without there being any danger of injury to the user. It ispreferable for the fruits to be initially placed in position by hand andthe cutting operation will only be commenced with manual assistance. Itis only when the fruit is substantially cut that the assistance of thefruit holder will be used in order to cut the last remains of the fruit.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the cutting edgeof each saw blade is arranged approximately at the same height as thebottom edge of the cutting surface of the saw blade next above it, or

somewhat lower. This ensures that the individual separated slices areunable to move laterally until the next following cut has commenced,whereupon the now completely severed slice is able to move laterally inorder to make possible an enlargement of the blade in a downwarddirection. Each blade may for example be made wedge-shaped incross-section and have a guide surface extending obliquely outwards forsevered slices, while its cutting surface extends vertically andparallel to the cutting surfaces of the other blades arranged in theV-shaped frame. Each of these wedgeshaped saw blades can comprise arecess on the underside, whereby its stability is improved, material andweight are saved, and a substantially uniform wall thickness isobtained, this being important for a uniform solidification of thesynthetic plastics material.

In another embodiment of the invention, each saw blade has the shape ofa parallelogram in cross-section, its upper long side serving as anoutwardly extending guide surface for severed slices, while the cuttingedge extends vertically and lies parallel to the cutting edges of theother parallelogram shaped saw blades. This constructional form of thesaw blades also ensures that the fruits are cut into exactly parallelslices, but the severed parts of the slices can move out laterally, sothat the downwardly increasing thickening of the separate saw bladesdoes not narrow the passage slots for the separated slices.

Where a fruit holder is provided this is preferably mounted on a guidearrangement which is disposed on one face of the appliance. As a result,the fruit holder is connected to the cutting appliance so that it cannotbe lost, but can be used at any time in the required manner. This guidearrangement can be constructed as a handle for the complete cuttingappliance.

The guide device for the fruit holder may for example be fixed on oneend wall of the cutting appliance and comprise a guide channel. Thisguide channel preferably accommodates a displacable shaped rod on thefree end of which the fruit holder is arranged so that it can be hingedupwardly. This fruit holder can be a shell or a bowed member with aconvex underside and is provided with longitudinal slots correspondingto the saw blades of the cutting appliance. Even more advantageously;the fruit holder can have on its underside pins which are of differentlength and point vertically downward, which pins are pressed on to theupper side of the fruits which are to be cut and can engage between thesaw blades. In each case, the fruit holder can be fitted with anupwardly projecting handle, so that it can be more convenientlyoperated.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the V-shaped framewith the saw blades and the fruit holder, are each injection-moulded inone piece from synthetic plastic material. In this way, the two mainparts of the cutting appliance can be manufactured and assembled withoutany complicated fitting, for it is merely necessary for the fruit holderto be connected to the shaped rod serving for guiding purposes by meansof a hinge pin or the like and then to fit this guide rod into thecorresponding guide channel on the V-shaped frame. The cutting applianceis then fully assembled and can be immediately used.

Embodiments of a cutting appliance for tomatoes or the like inaccordance with the invention are shown diagrammatically in thedrawings.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of oneend of the cutting appliance,

FIG. 2 is an end view of three saw blades which are arranged alongsideand above one another and which have a wedge-shaped cross-section,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing saw blades having anapproximately parallelogram-shaped crosssection,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the fruit holder of the cutting appliancewith the guide means for said holder,

FIG. 5 is a section on the line VV of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a front view of the fruit holder, from which it is possible tosee the arrangement of pins on the said holder, which pins are able topass at least partially between the blades disposed at the lowestposition.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The cutting appliance according tothe invention for tomatoes or similar fruits comprises a frame 1 whichis V-shaped in end view and in which are formed in one piecelongitudinally extending saw blades 2. Because of the V-shapedconstruction of the frame 1, these saw blades are arranged juxtaposedand offset in stepped formation, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The frame 1comprises two partially open end walls 3, which are connected to oneanother by means of upper longitudinal supports 4 and 5 and the mouldedblades 2 which extend between them. However, as stated, all parts of theframe and the blades arranged therebetween are made in one piece, sothat the appliance as a whole has sufficient rigidity and stability.

The saw blades 2 shown in FIG. 2 are wedge-shaped in cross-section, eachsaw blade 2 having an upper cutting edge 6 made in the form of a saw, avertically extending smooth cutting surface 7 and a slightly curved rearside 8 which extends obliquely outwards. On the underside, thesewedge-shaped saw blades are formed with a wedge-shaped recess 9, wherebythe stability is improved, material and weight are saved and apractically constant wall thickness is produced, this being ofimportance for uniform solidification of the saw blades without anydistortion. FIG. 2 also shows that the cutting edges 6 of adjacent sawblades 2 are so arranged relatively to one another that the cutting edgeof each saw blade is approximately at the height of the bottom edge 7aof the cutting surface 7 of the saw blade next above it. As a result,the fruit is supported against lateral movement on the side alreadysevered until the next cut has been made, whereupon the now completelyseparated slice 10 is immediately able to move out laterally and henceis not compressed between adjacent blades or damaged in some other way.

The saw blades shown in FIG. 3, have a cross-section approximately inthe form of a parallelogram, each saw blade once again having an uppercutting edge 11 formed in the manner of a saw, a vertically extendingcutting surface 12 and a slightly curved rear side 13 which extendsobliquely outwards. The bottom edge 12a of the cutting surface 12 is ineach case disposed at the height of the upper cutting edge 11 of thenext lower saw blade, which ensures as in the blades shown in FIG. 2that exactly parallel cuts are made, but the severed slices of the fruitare able to move outwardly immediately after the second separating cut.

Formed on one end wall 3 of the frame 1 in a lower closed region 3a isan outwardly projecting guide arrangement 14 with a shaped guide grooveor channel 15, which accommodates a displaceable shaped rod 16. The rod16 is displaceable axially and its free end 17 projects into theinternal space of the cutting appliance or of the frame 1, as shown inFIG. 4. Pivoted on this free end 17 by means of a simple joint 18 is afruit holder 19 having an underside which is of convex form and whichcarries on its upper side a member 20 serving as a handle. This fruitholder 19 has pins 22 and 23 of different lengths which are separatedfrom one another by spaces 21, it being possible for the said pins toengage between the individual saw blades 2 arranged in the lowestportion on the frame 1, so that in this way the fruits which are to becut are pressed securely downwardly and also completely over the sawedge of the lowermost saw blade 2 and are completely cut up. The pins 22and 23 are connected by means of a plate 24 to the fruit holder.

As illustrated, the underside of the fruit holder 19 is made convex. Itis most expedient for the ends of the pins 22 and 23 not to lie on acurved path, but on two planes 19a and 19b which extend at an obtuseangle to one another, as shown in FIG. 4, so that this underside of thefruit holder can be readily adapted to any shape and size of the fruit.

The guide device 14 accommodating the guide groove 15 is at the sametime formed as a handle for the frame 1, so that the entire cuttingappliance can be easily handled.

Various modifications are possible. Thus, it is readily possible toprovide two saw blades disposed with their cutting edges at the sameheight at the lowest point of the V-shaped frame, those sides of thesaid blades which face one another extending approximately parallel toone another or being undercut downwardly, and their opposite sidesextending obliquely outwardly similar to what is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

I claim:

1. A cutting appliance for fruits, comprising a frame which is V-shapedin end view, and an array of saw blades arranged in the frame integrallytherewith, each of said saw blades being generally wedge-shaped incross-section and having a guide surface extending obliquely outwardlyto guide slices which are severed from the fruit, said blades havingcutting faces extending substantially vertically, with the cutting edgesof adjacent saw blades lying at different heights, the array of sawblades being adapted to receive the fruits which are to be cut and topermit reciprocation of the fruits longitudinally thereon with thesimultaneous application of pressure thereto, and a fruit holderoperatively disposed between the saw blades for applying downwardpressure on the fruit.

2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cutting edge of eachsaw blade extends substantially at the same height as a bottom edge ofthe cutting surface of the next higher blade, with each of said bladesbeing laterally inwardly offset from the blade immediately thereabove.

3. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein each wedge-shaped sawblade has a recess on an underside portion thereof.

4. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein each saw blade is formedapproximately as a parallelogram in cross-section, an upper longitudinalside of the paral- 5 6 lelogram serving as an outwardly extending guidesur- 7. An appliance according to claim 5, wherein said face for lices vred from th uit fruit holder has a convex underside and carries spacedAn pp l q according to claim 1, wherein h pins at the sides havingdifferent lengths, said pins fruft hPlder plvotany mounte'd a gu'dedevlce being received between the saw blades when said whlch Secured toone end of Said frame so as to form holder is pressed downwardlyrelative to said frame.

a blade for the same 8. An appliance according to claim 7, wherein the6. An appliance according to claim 5 wherein said guide device is formedon the interior thereof with a g t equlpped with an upwardly projectmgan e.

moulded guide groove or channel which accommodates in displaceablemanner one end of a shaped rod 10 apphance accordmg to clam 1 wheremSaid the other end of which has pivotally connected thereto blades andSaid frame are of one'piece construction said fruit holder forpermitting upward pivoting moveand formed of synthetic Plastic materialment of said fruit holder relative to said blades.

1. A cutting appliance for fruits, comprising a frame which is V-shapedin end view, and an array of saw blades arranged in the frame integrallytherewith, each of said saw blades being generally wedge-shaped incross-section and having a guide surface extending obliquely outwardlyto guide slices which are severed from the fruit, said blades havingcutting faces extending substantially vertically, with the cutting edgesof adjacent saw blades lying at different heights, the array of sawblades being adapted to receive the fruits which are to be cut and topermit reciprocation of the fruits longitudinally thereon with thesimultaneous application of pressure thereto, and a fruit holderoperatively disposed between the saw blades for applying downwardpressure on the fruit.
 2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein thecutting edge of each saw blade extends substantially at the same heightas a bottom edge of the cutting surface of the next higher blade, witheach of said blades being laterally inwardly offset from the bladeimmediately thereabove.
 3. An appliance according to claim 1, whereineach wedge-shaped saw blade has a recess on an underside portionthereof.
 4. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein each saw blade isformed approximately as a parallelogram in cross-section, an upperlongitudinal side of the parallelogram serving as an outwardly extendingguide surface for slices severed from the fruits.
 5. An applianceaccording to claim 1, wherein the fruit holder is pivotally mounted on aguide device which is secured to one end of said frame so as to form ahandle for the same.
 6. An appliance according to claim 5, wherein saidguide device is formed on the interior thereof with a moulded guidegroove or channel which accommodates in displaceable manner one end of ashaped rod the other end of which has pivotally connected thereto saidfruit holder for permitting upward pivoting movement of said fruitholder relative to said blades.
 7. An appliance according to claim 5,wherein said fruit holder has a convex underside and carries spaced pinsat the sides having different lengths, said pins being received betweenthe saw blades when said holder is pressed downwardly relative to saidframe.
 8. An appliance according to claim 7, wherein the fruit holder isequipped with an upwardly projecting handle.
 9. An appliance accordingto claim 1 wherein said blades and said frame are of one-piececonstruction and formed of synthetic plastic material.